The Return of the 2 Ingredient Cake REMIX (literally)

 

6 pictures & one 29 second video

Back in March 2021 I did a post on the 2 ingredient cake. I used Fanta soda pop and white cake mix. I'm back again and this time I'm using Faygo strawberry soda and Duncan Hines strawberry cake mix. Actually 2 ingredient cake is a misnomer. There are the three eggs🥚🥚🥚  and the oil🧴  also necessary. Let's give all of the ingredients their props.

In place of water I used soda pop.

Soda pop being poured into the mix

Before

AFTER

How did it taste?  Add some frozen strawberries and whipped topping and  o-o-o-weee😁😁😊😋

It was delicious.  I cut the rest into squares, wrapped and put in the freezer.

That's it. 🍓🍓🍓

Roasting the Greens

 I've discovered that I like the way a lot of traditionally boiled vegetables taste even better roasted. Not only that they're easy to prepare. 

I recently cooked cabbage steaks. There is no meat involved unless you want there to be. I'm assuming they're called cabbage steaks because they're cut in thick hunks and laid flat.  I consulted recipes at  Dinner then dessert and also Allrecipes.   

Then I used my own method.

1. Oil a baking sheet with olive oil. NOTE: you may use a cooking spray if you like.

2. Remove the outside leaves from a head of cabbage. Place the cabbage on its core and slice downward into 1/2-1 inch "steaks."

3. Season each side of the vegetable with salt pepper and any other spices you desire. I also sprinkled with garlic powder. Lay the steaks on the baking pan and sprinkle a little more olive oil on top.

4. Cover with foil and place in a 350 degree oven for approximately 30 minutes. Since I only did three, I checked on them after 20 minutes. Wanting a nice char, I turned the steaks over, recovered them and allowed them to continue cooking for 10 more minutes. 

5. Allow to cool a bit. Transfer to a plate using two utensils to keep the shape.

Those charred bits are full of flavor. Adding a little blue cheese or ranch dressing on the side as a dipper makes it even more delicious.

It can be eaten by cutting with a knife and fork.

                                    OR,

if you're by yourself,  unfurl by strips, dip in sauce ,throw your head back and drop the strips in your mouth. Deeelicious!

                                           *****

I've also roasted broccoli  and brussel sprouts frozen and fresh. The frozen broccoli and brussel sprouts shrink more while roasting than the fresh . Still I'm pleased with the taste.

You may remember the brussel sprouts from

Oven Roasted Parmesan Brussel Sprouts. 

I've yet to try cauliflower since it isn't one of my favorites, but I'll give it another go.

THAT'S IT***

UGLY CAKE

I've heard Sis talk about making an ugly cake but since I rarely bake I couldn't feel her pain. I felt it a few days ago.  The cake was ugly but it tasted good.

Leave it to Sunday Church gatherings to taste everyone's prized recipes.  SInce I usually opt to bring the paper plates, plastic ware, napkins or whatever else can be bought ready made, I don't  cook a dish.

JePa made a mandarin orange refrigerator cake.  Smooth, refreshing, delicious. I had to have the recipe. I was so anxious to make this cake that I googled it and selected the recipe with the ingredients she said were in her version.

Gather the crew

MANDARIN ORANGE PINEAPPLE CAKE printed from Cooks.com

1 box yellow cake mix

1/2 c. Crisco oil
1 sm. can Mandarin oranges with juice, cut up
4 eggs

Combine ingredients and beat 2 minutes. Grease and flour well two 9 inch pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool completely. Cut layers in half crossways making 4 halves.

TOPPING
1 (15 1/4 oz.) can crushed pineapple with juice
1 sm. box vanilla instant pudding
1 lg. container Cool Whip
Beat ingredients for 2 minutes. Ice between layers, over top and sides. Refrigerate.

So far it's going pretty good.                    

I didn't have two round cake pans so I used this one long one.



That's parchment paper between the layers so that they don't stick.

 After the cake cooled I cut it in half and then cut it again crosswise leaving me with four layers.              


I'm well aware that there is no picture five. It was a picture of the
ugly cake before it was cut.

   After making the topping, I frosted the four layers and put it in the fridge. Here is a slice of the ugly cake.                         I probably shouldn't have cut the layers crosswise .  Whirling the pineapple in the blender along with the pudding and whipped topping would have made it smoother to spread.


No, I didn't eat the entire cake.



I cut the rest of the cake into slices and put them in the freezer. This will be good for those days when I want something sweet.

I plan to try this again but next time I want a Key Lime cake.

I used the Tranquil photo element at Pic Monkey on my photos. It's the same thing  they do to the camera to make aging film stars look good. There was no way it could get any worse since the cake as a whole didn't have a good side.

THAT'S IT***

COLLARD CHIPS
 A neighbor gave me a bunch of collards the day before Thanksgiving. I'd recently cooked fresh turnip greens but didn't want the collards to go to waste. I'd heard of kale chips so I thought I'd scout the NET for collard chips. It didn't take long until I found a recipe. One person had described how delicious these vegetable chips are and so I decided to find out for myself.

INGREDIENTS
2-4 collard leaves
1 tsp olive oil (or use olive Misto sprayer)
pinch salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Prepare collard leaves by washing, patting dry, and removing leaves from stem. Tear leaves with hands into 3-4 inch pieces.

3.Lay in a single layer on parchment paper.  BTW Use of the olive oil was never mentioned anywhere in the recipe. I consulted another recipe which told me to pour and toss the oil over the greens which I did.

4. Bake for seven minutes, then flip leaves. Bake for 5 minutes more, then check leaves. Remove any that are crispy, return any that are limp to the oven. Be careful not to overcook or they will turn brown and bitter.


This is what happens when you put the leaves back in for the addtional 5 minutes.

LET'S TRY THAT ONE MORE TIME AND THIS TIME WATCH IT AND DON'T LET IT BURN




The second batch turned a little brown around the edges but none cooked evenly. I removed them from the oven at this point.


5. Sprinkle collard chips with salt or other preferred seasonings.
6. Serve immediately.

This recipe was a bust. I didn't like the flavor of the"chips" at all. The crisp part mingled with the not so crisp part made for an unpleasant culinary experience. There could have been a mixup with me and the instructions. I disliked this recipe so much that the chance of me trying it again are size zero slim. I am not willing to try an alternative recipe either. There was no real way to evenly cook the leaves. A lower oven temp and placing another sheet of parchment on top of the leaves and flattening them with an ovenproof heavy object to keep them flat might have helped.

I have had good success baking root vegetables such as turnip bottoms,carrots and rutabagas.   Though collards appear thick in their raw form, I think they are too delicate to hold up to the heat in an oven.
I didn't use the entire bunch of collards. Instead I finished cleaning the rest and prepared them in the traditional manner.
THAT'S IT